Abandoned
by SerenLyall
Summary: The second War of the Ring has ended, and the power of the remaining rings of power have faded. Their Keepers have sailed across the sea to Valinor, and the time has come for them to be returned to their Maker. But do they really want to abandon their Keepers?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Lord of the Rings and all characters and places belong to Tolkien. I make no claim to them whatsoever, and merely borrow his own brilliant ideas for my own enjoyment. No money was made from the writing of this, and none shall be.

**Rating:** K+

**Category:** Adventure/Fantasy

**Time frame:** Post Return of the King; Post the Ringbearer's journey to Valinor

**A/N:** Wow, this is my first Lord of the Rings fic. Well, my second, but the first was a crossover (with Monsters Inc. Strange? Yeah a little bit, but I'm proud of it. If you like fluffy(ish) little Estel stories, check it out!), so I'm not sure it really counts. I've been sitting on a number of oneshots and ideas lately, and finally have decided to begin posting a few of them. I'm not entirely sure when the others will come out...sometime this summer though, most likely. Originally, this was also intended to be a oneshot. However, it turned out to be nearly 9,000 words long which, in my opinion, is a little too long for a oneshot. So, I've broken it down into 4 chapters of varying length. I dunno when I'll post the second chapter, but it'll probably be around a week. If I get a lot of good feedback, I might go ahead and post sooner (hint hint). In any case, please enjoy this! It was most definitely fun to write!

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**A Little Bit of Background:** (If you've read the Silmarillion and are familiar with the tale of the three elven rings of power, feel free to skip this section)

The rings of power (save the One Ring) were created by an elf by the name of Celebrimbor. Sauron (who was then known as Annatar), aided him in the forging of the Nine, and the Seven (man and dwarf). However, Celebrimbor made the three elvish rings in secret, unknown to Annatar at the time. He named them Vilya (the sapphire ring), Nenya (the adamant ring), and Narya (the ruby ring), and they were the rings of the major elements: air, water, and fire respectively. Celebrimbor entrusted Vilya to Gil-Galad, who later passed it on to Elrond; Nenya, he gave to Galadriel to watch for; Narya he gave to Cirdan the shipwright, who later entrusted it with Gandalf. Celebrimbor was soon taken by Sauron and tortured for the information of the whereabouts of the rings of power. He told Sauron of the Nine and the Seven, but he took the secret of where the Three were hidden with him to Mandos's Halls.

Upon the One Ring's destruction, the power of the other rings of power faded as well. They then sailed to Valinor with their Keepers.

It is then my interpretation that they would then have been returned to Celebrimbor, their maker, seeing as he had simply given the rings to others to safeguard.

It seemed as if the One Ring had a personality of its own, its own will. I therefore have come to the conclusion that the other Rings of Power had similar personalities as well. That is the basic premise of this tale.

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**Translations:**

Anor: Sun

Istar: Wizard

Vilya: Air

Nenya: Water

Narya: Fire

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~Abandoned~

The world was beautiful and perfect. A light mist hovered just above the empty city streets, cool and sweet as it drifted lethargically by, pushed by the faintly blowing sea breeze. Droplets of dew clung to the tree leaves and dripped off of the budding wildflowers that grew interspersed with the verdant grass, giving the world a splash of color even in the predawn gloom.

The world, although perfect, was silent. As of yet, no birds trilled their morning tunes, and none wandered the streets, raising their lilting, laughing voices is song and merriment. None, that is, but he and I, and we were silent.

I could sense the shadow, the sorrow weighing on his heart. Once more I stretched out, attempting to appease his pain, to brush his heart with the healing and peace that he always seemed to withhold from himself. This time when I brushed the darkness, however, it was different; sharper, more poignant. He brushed me away brusquely and without a word. I withdrew, confused as to why my presence had been rejected.

An owl hooted its final farewell to the night, and I felt the first warm caress of Anor as she lifted her fiery head above the rim of the world. It felt as if the world came alive. Colors burst to life, ripping free of the shadowy veil of the night, and the songs of the winged ones filled the air as they heralded the coming of the day.

Pure, unbridled joy filled me, and I could not hold back the song that seemed to consume me. This morning, I felt new-made, as if all the cares and woes that had matured and worn me had suddenly vanished.

_Do you not see this beautiful morning? Can you not feel the perfection of the world?_ I asked, attempting to draw his attention away from his dark thoughts and to the light. He either did not hear me, or he ignored me.

Once again, I was left feeling confused and a little alone. He very rarely ignored me in such a way, and it troubled me. I tentatively brushed his consciousness, questioning, searching for what troubled him so greatly. He shut me out.

"Enough," he told me.

_You are mine and I am yours,_ I chided gently, refusing to back down this time. _We share a bond._

"That was never true," he replied, nearly inaudibly. There was a great sorrow buried within his words. "You were never mine; I have merely been your keeper. It is time for you to return to your rightful master. Now be silent."

I was shocked. Not since the beginning – those first, frantic, tragic days – had he ever said such a thing to me. If ever I had felt betrayed, I did in that moment.

I withdrew, growing cold and silent as he continued on his way, no longer able to sense the birds trilling or Anor shining. In fact, for a time, one would have thought me no more than a simple band of gold studded with a simple sapphire – a common ring on the hand of a common elf.

I did not stir again until I felt another presence whisper in my thoughts.

_Brother,_ a voice whispered to me, the voice a flickering, brightly burning flame. I would not have even acknowledged my sister, but I sensed a sorrow, a darkness hovering about her fire that I had never sensed in her before. Vaguely, as if from a great distance, I heard the familiar voice of the Istar greeting my Keeper. My Keeper replied in kind, although his words were short and distracted. The Istar laid a comforting hand on my Keeper's shoulder, and then together the two moved on, continuing through the streets and descending toward the outskirts of the city in silent companionship.

_Narya_, I whispered, and was surprised to hear the same sorrow in my own voice as had been in hers. _What troubles you so?_

_His mind is hidden from me, _my sister replied, and I knew that she was speaking of her Keeper. _Never before has he done so, not as he does now. It is as if there is a grief that blocks me, and yet he will not allow me to comfort him._

With a sudden spark of understanding, I knew exactly what Narya meant.

_My own Keeper has done the same, although he has hidden it well,_ I replied, and I felt my sorrow deepen.

Our journey continued in silence broken only by our Keepers' footfalls and the sounds of birds and beasts. I found that I no longer felt any joy at their song making.

When we halted, it was outside of an ornately carved door set into a beautifully constructed building. Narya's Keeper reached up and knocked thrice upon the door, the sound of his knuckles smacking the wood sounding hollow and concussive. After a long moment of silence, the door was opened, and our Keepers were ushered inside.

_Brother, sister!_ a new voice exclaimed, accompanied by the sense of water tumbling over rocks. _You are here as well._ This statement sounded wistful, sad, and sorrowful. I wished to ask if Nenya knew what was happening, but then the voice of someone other than one of our Keepers spoke, and I honed my attention outward, so as to hear what he was saying.

"I am glad that you have come," the elf said, and it was evident that he was smiling.

"It is time that what is yours be returned to you," my Keeper replied. He was not smiling.

"I will be but a moment," the other elf said, and with that, he departed our company.

_His voice..._Nenya said.

_I have heard it before…_Narya said.

_Celebrimbor, _I said, _our Maker._

Celebrimbor returned, and he was holding a small, yet intricately carved wooden box. He placed it on a small table, and lifted the lid to reveal a fancily embroidered, satin-covered cushion. Three small hollows were situated in a perfect triangle, each the same size, although the embroidery around each circle varied. The back left was a ring of blazing orange and gold fire, while the back right was a deep blue fashioned to resemble waves. The foremost circle, the tip of the triangle, was embroidered with pure silver that twisted and twined and twirled.

Three hollows – fire, water, and air; one for each of us.

Nenya cried out as she was slipped off of her Keeper's dainty finger. I could feel her anguish as her Keeper dropped her into Celebrimbor's palm, and could hear her keening as she was gently placed into her silk-lined prison.

Narya was next. Her Keeper hesitated for a second, and hope welled within my sister. But then she too was grasped, and was yanked away. She tried to hang on, clutched desperately at her Keeper, even as she was handed over to our Maker, and placed in her own hollow.

I knew now what our Keepers had kept hidden from us, and I now knew why. We were being abandoned, returned to our Maker, despite the fact that all three of us had found our One, and they had known that we would fight them. And fight him I would.

I held on as tightly as I could, wrapping my consciousness around my Keeper's and binding it to mine. I fought him, even as he pulled against me, and howled as our wills strove against each other. Never before had I done such a thing, and to refuse my Keeper, my One, tore at me like a Balrog's whip. But I would not let go. I would not leave him.

"Vilya, enough," my Keeper snapped. "Let go." I could feel his embarrassment, and his anger, and I eased my battle. It was only then that I could also feel his pain.

With one final cry, I released my Keeper, and slipped from his finger, falling to the floor. I hit the polished boards with the sound of metal striking wood, and I lay where I had struck the ground, my sorrow weighing me down.

A new hand closed around me, and Celebrimbor lifted me high into the air. Reverently, almost lovingly, he placed me in the forefront of the triangle. But I could not sense his feelings – I would not. I cared only for the fact that he had taken me and my sisters from our Keepers. I knew that I would never completely forgive him for doing such a thing.

I looked over the rim of the box and out into the room. Our Keepers were standing a few feet away, facing the table on which we sat. Celebrimbor was speaking to them, his back to us, but I cared little for him. My attention was fixated on our Keepers.

With a pang of sudden sorrow, I realized that I could no longer feel, or even read, my Keeper's emotions, let alone my sisters Keepers'. For the first time in many a thousand years, I felt empty, and cold.

Celebrimbor turned, and lowered the lid to our box, shutting out the light and enveloping us in cloying darkness. With a click, the lid latched, sealing us in our prison.

And for the first time since I had been formed, I felt alone.

~oOo~


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Firstly, I'm not a guy, which automatically means that I couldn't be Tolkien. Secondly, if I really did have any claim to Lord of the Rings, do you think that I would be wasting my time writing this? Eh, maybe. But I wouldn't be posting it here. That being said, I don't own anything to do with Lord of the Rings...just my own random ideas and my own characters, like Alidho and Nesiat. No dinero was made from the writing of this story.

**A/N:** I was quite surprised by the amazingly positive response I got from this story, so I decided to post the next part a few days earlier than I had originally thought to. This has gone unbeta'd, so if you see any errors or inconsistencies, please feel free to point them out, and know that all the fault lies solely with me and my rather shoddy editorial skills.

Once again, I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of my reviewers: LadyNostarielofMirkwood, GreyLynx, and cai-ann, but a special thank you goes to Kang, who was my first reviewer. I am sorry that I could not respond to your review personally, Kang, but I would like to thank you profusely for taking the time to read and review!

Much thanks to cai-ann, who has informed me of the fact that Vilya's intentions may not have been perfectly clear. Thus this is now an edited chapter, and I hope that I have eliminated any such confusion.

I would be extremely grateful if you would take the time to leave behind even a few short words to tell me what you think, and if there is anything that I can improve upon. However, more importantly, I hope that you enjoy this second installment of Abandoned!

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**Translations:**

Anor: Sun

Isil: Moon

Naneth: Mother/Mom

Ada: Dad/Daddy

Ion nin: my son

Names:

Alidho: Sea Hawk

Estel: Hope

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Time had never been a thing to which I adhered in the past – I had simply accompanied my Keeper as he passed through the long years, aiding him, comforting him, and protecting him as best as I could. But in the darkness of our prison, time was something that, for the first time, I truly became aware of.

It was an interminable and nigh unbearable thing – time – stretching out around me and holding me captive in its embrace. I could not escape it, for it lay ahead of, and behind me, drawing me into its arms, and slowly leeching the warmth and final vestiges of hope that had lain hidden within me.

We were silent, the three of us. None of us could bear to speak, for the grief was still too near, and the sorrow much too poignant. Although we dealt with it differently, my sisters and I could not yet express our pain in even our thoughts.

Then, when it seemed that all hope had been drained from within me, light returned to us.

A small snick, followed by the creak of wood, spliced the silence, and with that, a crack of light appeared above us, growing ever wider as the lid was lifted up. I could sense Celebrimbor, as well as a half dozen other elves in the room beyond, their lilting voices accompanying the distant crackle of a fire as it burned in a fireplace.

"Ah, so this is Vilya, Nenya, and Narya?" an elf who was standing a little behind our Maker said, gazing at us with slight awe. "They are beautiful," he added, his voice slightly husky with wonderment.

"I thank you," our Maker replied, smiling. "These three rings were my greatest achievements."

"They seem to have dulled since last I lay eyes upon them," a third voice commented. "They are still beautiful, of course," he added, as if afraid that he might have offended the great smith.

"May I?" a new voice asked, and when Celebrimbor nodded his assent, I felt fingers brush against my gold band, and then I was being lifted out of my prison and out into the world.

I acted without thought, but purely, and simply upon instinct. Perhaps it was my grief that drove me to my actions, or perhaps it was the fact that I feared returning to my silken prison. More than anything else, though, it was my love for my Keeper, my One. I would not abandon him.

And so I abandoned my Maker.

I bent my will, and every final shred of power that remained within me on the elf that now held me in his palm. His grip loosened, and with a startled cry from him, I slipped from between his fingers, and tumbled to the ground.

This time, however, I did not lie still. I bounced, and I threw myself sideways, toward the door that stood open on the far end of the room. It lead to open sky and rich earth, and the stars were gleaming down from overhead. I bounced a second time, but after that I did not go airborne again. I rolled instead, wobbling on a winding path toward the opening.

I could sense urgency and confusion all around me as my abrupt departure was made known throughout the entire room. I paid it no heed, however, my only thought being to reach the door, and the freedom that it represented.

With one final push, I rolled off of the small step that separated the house from open air. Air flowed about me for a half of a second, and then the earth opened its arms and embraced me. The sandy dirt shifted beneath me, and I felt myself sliding into the grass that bordered the path.

With that I lay still. And I prayed, if that was even possible, that I would not be found.

The stars wheeled above me, dancing their heavenly ritual in the midnight blue sky. Isil rose, and fell back toward the earth, and still I lay among the stalks of grass, waiting, although for what I did not know.

A faint fog crept across the earth, swirling and eddying as the fancy took it, as a morning mist will. It was cold against me, and small beads of water gathered along the sapphire at my head before trickling down my sides, leaving tracks of moisture in their wake.

Presently, I began to feel a faint reverberation through the ground beneath me, as if something very light were stalking through the grass. Something brushed against me, and then I felt myself being nudged.

It was a cat, with long ginger fur and large paws. It lowered its nose, carefully inspecting me, and pale emerald eyes stared at me, as if, with its gaze, the creature could sense my thoughts.

I reached out softly toward the creature, my consciousness brushing against the cat's. For a second, it withdrew, but then the cat crept forward, until its nose was barely touching my still form in the grass, its thoughts accompanying it closer to mine.

_Please,_ I sang to the creature. _I am lost and alone. Please, I beseech you, aid me._ I did not think that the beast could fully comprehend what I was saying, for it simply stared at me with its unsettling gaze, regarding me with what seemed to be confusion.

And yet, the creature must have understood what I had meant, even if it could not hear my words, for with a sudden flick of its tail, it stood, and pushed against me with its paw. A single claw pulled against me, and I felt myself, yet again, being lifted from the ground, and brought up into the air. Its head lowered, and it nosed me a second time, as if the creature was not attempting to tell _me _something.

I slid from the claw, but before I could hit the ground, if found myself tangled in the cat's fur. It was damp and matted, as if the young creature had never before been brushed or even stroked, and I could sense soil and salt mixed together among the strands. And yet I did not mind, despite the fact that the dirt was mixing with the dampness already on me and turning to mud.

With a bound, the cat leapt forward, its paws pressing into the grass lightly before it took another leap. Within seconds, we were free of the quivering grass, and were on a dirt and gravel path. The creature's gait evened into an easy lope, and the ground flashed by beneath us quickly, almost as if it were being tugged away by some might being behind us.

A bird twittered and trilled somewhere above us, welcoming the new day with a glorious fanfare, and for the first time in a very long while, I allowed myself to hope.

The cat halted and hissed menacingly, its back arching and its claws sliding out of their sheaths. Out from the shadows of a wall stepped a sleek, well fed hound, and it had its gaze set firmly on the feline standing a few steps down the street from it. Its hackles rose, and it growled, taking a threatening step forward.

With a bark, the canine lunged forward, snapping at the cat, who jumped sideways just in time and batted one clawed paw at the attacker. With that, the cat turned and took off down the street back the way it had come, mewing a challenge.

To my surprise, the fur holding me close to the cat's body loosened, and I fell to the cobblestone street with a gentle clatter. The hound, who was in full chase mode, didn't even notice, and sped past me, haring after the cat with a single-minded intensity.

I skittered across the cobblestone, and felt myself slipping down, down. With a scrape, I ground to a halt, wedged firmly between two of the stones. Not even with my greatest effort could I dislodge myself, and only served to anchor myself even more firmly in place. I was stuck, it was as simple and aggravating as that.

I thought of my Keeper, and once more I struggled against the stones. I would not allow myself to simply sit wedged between these flagstones until I faded away to nothing. A strange sense of panic seized me as doubt of and fear of never seeing my Keeper again assaulted me. I strained and pushed. And yet there was not enough power left within me to move myself even a little.

The fear receded a little, and a strange feeling crept up over me, piercing me through until I found that I was no longer afraid, no longer had doubts. Somehow, I _knew_ that something was coming, that something would happen and I need only wait for it. I relaxed, hopeful once more, and ignored as best as I could the emptiness within me that grew with each passing moment that I spent without my Keeper.

I grew warm as Anor rose higher in the sky, although I could not feel her gentle rays. Instead, the world drifted in a sea of gray as waves of clouds covered the heavens, blocking out the burning heat of the mighty star.

Elves passed to and fro above me, paying little to no heed to the small, dully glinting ring caught between the stones. I examined those that passed close to me, observing whether they walked or ran, were bare of foot, or wore slipper or boot. Many a time I sensed the laughter of children dashing past me, their feet pattering gleefully overhead.

It was in this way that I waited. And I found that I did not mind the tediousness of sitting still as I had before, when I had been locked away in darkness. On the contrary, I found that I now rather enjoyed such peace, and allowed the calm to wash through me.

Anor slowly traveled her path across the sky, dipping farther toward the edge of the earth, even as she continued to veil her face behind the clouds. Evening was fast approaching, and as it did so, the activity around me began to lessen.

I was listening to a storm growing in the east when the elfling found me. He stopped abruptly above me, and knelt, ignoring the startled cries of his two friends as they nearly ran into him. With the nimble fingers gifted only to children, he carefully pried me free of my restraints, and rubbed me against his shirt to rid me of as much dirt as he could.

"Alidho, what have you found?" one of the elfling's friends asked, dropping to his knees as well.

"It is a ring," Alidho answered, holding me up in his palm so he could get a better look.

"A ring? Trapped between the flagstones?" his other friend scoffed. "Why would a ring be there?"

"I do not know," Alidho replied defensively, "but it is a ring nonetheless."

"Let me see," his first friend requested, and Alidho handed me to his friend.

"Pah," his other friend said, laughing quietly in derision. "It looks old. You should just put it back where you found it," he advised, shaking his head. "It's worthless."

"Why must you always be so critical," Alidho snapped, and took me back from his friend. "I like it," he announced, and slipped me onto his forefinger.

"Stop your squabbling," the first friend said, butting in, "else we'll be caught in the rain." The final word was not even out of his mouth when thunder rumbled in the distance. "Hurry!" his friend urged, and with that, the three elflings were sprinting down the street.

_It has been a very long time since a child has touched me,_ I realized. And with that thought came the realization that I had missed such innocence.

There had been a fair few that had come into contact with me, although few realized it. They simply believed that they were clutching the hand of my Keeper, and had neither felt nor sensed me upon his finger. There were four children, whoever, who stood out in my memory, for they were the only four to have even an inkling of my existence, despite the fact that they could not see, or truly even feel me.

Three of them were my Keeper's own children, first the twins, and then later, his daughter. The fourth, however, was a surprise to me. They called the young human Estel, and many a night I spent with my Keeper at his bedside, both helping to bandage him up from yet another misadventure, or calming him from the nightmares that plagued him. It shocked me and my Keeper when, one night, he sleepily asked "Ada, why is there a star on your finger?" He fell asleep almost immediately afterwards, and upon waking, he seemed to have forgotten all about his question. And yet, for many years after, whenever he would hold my Keeper's hand, he would smile and brush against my sapphire with a gentle fingertip.

Thunder rumbled again, this time much closer, and I was shaken out of my memories by the urgent calls of farewell between the three friends. They parted ways, and Alidho bore me down a side street toward a small door set in the side of a garden wall. He opened it quickly, and darted through, letting it slam shut behind him.

The growing storm intensified for a breath, and then the pent up tension exploded outward in a torrent of rain and a terrifying boom of thunder. Rain splattered down to the world below in sheets, and within seconds the air had turned white with flying water and spray.

Alidho made one final dash for the house that loomed across the garden, and skid to a halt beneath the small overhang above the door. Water dripped from his hair and his clothing, trickling down his cheeks to drip off of his chin. He shook his head in much the same manner as a dog, and reached to open the door.

The door was already opening, however, and Alidho looked up to meet the piercing green gaze of the woman who could only have been his mother.

"Alidho, get in here out of the rain," she chastised, and grabbed him by the hand, dragging him into the shelter of indoors. She closed the door behind him with a certain finality, and hurriedly ushered him up a flight of stairs and toward his room. "You're drenched," she commented as they finished climbing the stairs. "Dry off quickly and change your clothes, dinner is ready."

"Yes Naneth," Alidho said obediently, and hurried into his room, closing the door behind him.

He peeled his sodden clothing off, dropping it on the floor beside his door in a limp pile, and vigorously dried himself off with the towel folded neatly beside the washstand. Now only mildly damp, he donned a fresh pair of breeches and shirt, ignoring the damp spot that grew on his back as his wet hair hung against it.

Once again running, he dashed down the stairs and through the halls, slowing only after he burst through the door and into the dining room.

"Alidho, how many times have I told you that you are not to run in the hallways," the elfling's father chided. Alidho ducked his head and mumbled an apology. I knew full well that it was far from heartfelt. I had lost count the number of times my Keeper had said nearly those same exact words to his own children, and they had responded in much the same way. None of them had adhered to their father's parental warnings either.

A plaintive mewling threaded its way through the sound of rain drumming against stone and wood a short while after the family had sat down to eat their meal. Alidho was the first to hear the sound, and stopped eating so as to listen better.

"Ada, do you hear that?" he asked, his head cocked to one side.

"Hear what, ion nin?" his father replied, ceasing eating as well. A small smile grew as he heard the cat's pitiful cries as well. "Ah. It sounds as if there is a poor cat outside who wishes to come in out of the rain."

"May we bring him in?" Alidho begged, turning first to his father, then his mother, who had glanced at each other.

"Very well," his mother replied, "but you must dry him off and keep him out of the kitchen." Alidho nodded vigorously, and jumped to his feet. He hurried from the dining room, and broke into a run, careening toward the door through which we had entered less than an hour ago.

He slowed as he neared the door, so as not to run into it, and with hardly even pausing so as to readjust himself, Alidho pulled open the door just wide enough for a small creature to slip inside.

The mewling cut off, and a second later, a very soaked, very piteous cat pushed through the space between door and frame. Its long fur was hanging straight down, and it was covered with splatters of mud. Pale green eyes peered up at the boy from beneath orange fur that was darkened by the water.

"Oh no," Alidho gasped. "I forgot to get a towel to dry you off with. Stay there," he ordered the cat, and then wheeled toward a closet a ways down the hall.

When he returned, the cat was sitting patiently, albeit a little disgruntled, by the door. It meowed as he came near and dropped down, bracing his knees against the floor as he reached out toward the cat. It merely watched him as he gently began to run the towel along the cat's sides. After a few moments of futile wiping, the cat gave him a look that clearly said _"Hurry up."_ At that point, Alidho gave up his 'gentle' approach, and began to energetically rub the cat dry.

The cat mewed after he had finished, and twined between his feet, trailing its tail against his arm as it passed. Then, as it came to a standstill before him, it looked straight at me and meowed again. I knew, without a single shred of uncertainty, that this was the very cat who had carried me from the Maker's garden.

The cat followed us around for the remainder of the night, never straying more than three paces from Alidho's heels. He laughed every time the cat's whiskers tickled his ankles, and playfully shoved it away when it attempted to lie on top of his toes. From somewhere in the kitchen, the elfling found a small portion of cold chicken, and he fed it to the cat scrap by scrap. The cat purred the entire time.

The time came soon enough for the young elf to go to bed. I hoped that he would place me on his nightstand, or perhaps even his dresser; anywhere other than his finger would do. Although I had enjoyed this brief spell of time that I had spent with the child, I yearned to move on, to continue searching for my Keeper. Throughout the entire day, the hollow ache that had plagued me since he had left me with the Maker had grown stronger, and by the time the final candle in the child's room had been extinguished, I was beginning to fear that I would lose myself to it.

The child settled down swiftly, his breathing relaxing into the gentle rhythms of sleep. The restlessness that had plagued me in the box upon Celebrimbor's shelf began to haunt me again, and for the first time since abandoning him, I once again began to feel trapped.

Without warning, the cat leapt nimbly up to the top of the bed, landing lightly on the mattress. The lithe feline stalked toward the boy's head, carefully avoiding treading on him. Upon reaching me, it stopped, and crouched down beside the boy's hand. The cat pressed its nose against me, and a soft meow escaped it as it nudged me and realized that I was firmly trapped on the lad's finger.

The boy surfaced from his light reverie at a second, more insistent shove against his hand. He sat up, puzzled, and looked down at the cat with confusion.

"What is it?" he asked, and reached out to stroke the cat's head. It ducked away, barely avoiding his comfort giving fingers. It then lifted one paw to rest against the boy's forefinger, just above the knuckle. It meowed, and looked pointedly at me. "My ring?" Alidho asked incredulously. The cat removed its paw and meowed again.

With a strange look for the cat, Alidho carefully slid me from his finger and placed me in his palm. "Is this truly what you wanted?" he asked, and moved his hand closer to the cat.

Without hesitation, the cat stood and delicately took me into its mouth, lifting me from the elfling's palm. I was expecting a cry of sorrow, or a sigh, from the child. Instead, I heard a chiming laugh.

"You never truly came here to get out of the rain, did you little cat?" Alidho asked. "You only came here to find your ring. I suppose I'll see stranger things, although I haven't yet," he said. "I'm glad to have met you in any case," he added, and slid from beneath the covers. "It's still raining, but you look anxious to be on your way. So here…" and with that, the young elf opened his window. "Maybe I'll see you again someday." He smiled, with just perhaps a tinge of sorrow, and returned to his bed.

The cat, with me still held safely between its teeth, leapt to the windowsill, and out into the stormy night.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: quick question...if I were dead, do you think I would be writing and posting this? No. Which means I'm not Tolkien. I'm just having some fun with a few of his characters! Don't worry, I'll return them with not (hardly) a scratch on them. No money was made from the writing of this, only pleasure (and a headache).

**A/N:** Well here goes nothing - Chapter 3 is here! Another huge thanks goes to all of my reviewers: Glory Bee, cai-ann, LadyNostarielofMirkwood, and of course Kang. An especially huge thanks goes to cai-ann, who pointed out that Vilya never really talks much about Elrond in the second chapter, and so his motives are a little unclear. That has now been fixed, and a (slightly) edited version of chapter 2 is updated.

We only have one more to go after this! I would love it if you would take the time to leave a review telling me what you think, asking any questions, pointing out any inconsistencies, or if there is anything I can improve upon. Most importantly, though, I hope that you enjoy this chapter.

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I was dropped from the cat's mouth once we were firmly on the ground once more. Again, I found myself tangled with its fur, held close to its chest by long, ginger fibers. The heat from the cat's body seeped into me and calmed me in a way that the warmth from the child's hand had not. Perhaps it was because I knew that I was once more on my way to my Keeper, and that was a thought that filled me with both relief and joy.

The night was wild. Wind tore through the streets, battering the cat as it bounded through the empty streets. Rain pelted the cobblestones, sending up tiny showers of spray as each droplet was smashed into a hundred fragments by the force of its fall. Within mere seconds, the poor cat was drenched, water running from its fur and dripping off of its whiskers. Lightning flashed in the sky above, and thunder rumbled through the earth and air, shaking the very stone itself. Water coursed down the sloped streets in rivers, carrying leaves, branches, and other debris along with it. The cat avoided such rivulets as best as it could. Sometimes, however, they seemed to spring out of nowhere, and more than once, the cat was splashed with a sudden spout of water as it raced down the sloping streets.

A deluge of water from a rooftop slammed into the cat's side, throwing it bodily through the air. It landed on its feet, but the slick stone betrayed it, and sent it slipping and sliding down into a small trench of a gutter. We fell, the cat scrabbling uselessly against the stone that formed the walls. And yet it could find no traction, the stone rubbed smooth by millennia of running water. With a meow, the cat fell backward, plunging toward the torrent of water that rushed beneath us. We hit the icy water with a splash, and for a long moment, the cat was entirely submerged.

With a yowl, the cat broke the surface, its feet churning through the water as it strove to reach the edge. Even as it fought, though, I could feel the current dragging it backwards. Stone opened into an empty hole behind us, the echoing sound of water cascading over the edge audible even over the sound of the pouring rain. The cat became frantic, and for half of a breath, its claws caught on the lip, the water swirling around us. But then a fragment of a broken tree branch swooped past and clipped the cat's shoulder, breaking its hold on the crack in the stone. The current caught the cat and hurled it backwards. And with that, we were falling, darkness swallowing us.

Air rushed past us, and a second yowl mingled with the sound of water plummeting a dozen feet to the sewers below. The cat hit the water with a smack, and sunk beneath it. Shifting shadows and rippling waves surrounded us, the sound of the water muted to a dull roar. The water seemed eternally deep, as if there was no bottom to the black pit.

Time seemed to have been suspended as we drifted, surrounded by bluish black water. I waited for the cat to move, to fight its way toward the receding surface. And yet it did not. It lay still, cushioned by smothering waves. It sunk, and did not slow.

Something akin to fear began to trickle through my thoughts. Why did the cat not awaken? I carefully brushed against the cat's consciousness, and was met with only silence and darkness. I began to poke and prod, striving to startle it back into awareness, and yet it remained silent.

_Wake up. _I begged at first, attempting to gently bring the cat back to wakefulness. It seemed to not hear me. _Awaken!_ My thoughts took on a commanding tone, leaving no room for argument.

Something stirred within the cat's mind, and I could sense the darkness peeling away. It thrashed, its paws swirling in the dark abyss. Instinct kicked in, and the cat pushed against the crushing weight of the water, thrusting itself up into air, and back into life.

The cat was panicked now. Its only thought was of fear, and all it seemed to be able to sense was the dark winged silhouette of death looming over it. I battled against the shadow, attempting to drive the terror from the cat's mind and imbue it with light and hope. And yet I found that I could not do so. My power had waned, and what little I retained seemed to be not enough.

And yet the cat began to fight, battling the eternal slumber of death as a proud and noble creature will.

The current had a hold of us. It held us in a crushing embrace, pushing and whirling us about in a dizzying, sickening parody of a waltz. The mouth of a tunnel yawned wide and swallowed us, welcoming us into another black abyss.

The walls were narrower in the tunnel, and the water even rougher. Waves crashed over the cat, sending it rolling and pitching, and more than once it was forced underwater by sheer power, despite its most valiant efforts. An especially large wave yanked at the cat, and sent it careening into a wall. I sensed something _snap _upon impact, and the cat howled in pain. The howl was almost immediately cut off in a gurgle as it slipped underwater yet again.

Thrice more the cat struck a wall, and each time I could feel its body breaking. I mourned for the creature, and wished for the power that I had lost when the Evil One had been destroyed and Sauron destroyed.

_I am sorry,_ I whispered to it. _I am sorry._ I was unsure if I was apologizing for being unable to help it, or if I was begging forgiveness for being the cause of its pain. For I knew that it was on my account that the poor creature was here. Had my driving yearning to be reunited with Keeper urged the cat to do something that it did not want to do? Had I been selfish? Was that the reason that the cat was suffering? Was finding my Keeper truly worth the consequences? That was a question that I found I could not answer.

The water level had risen significantly since our wild ride had begun. Every hundred paces or so, there was a small opening in the roof of the tunnel that seemed to lead out to the gutters. Water continued to pour in through the openings, adding to the rushing torrent. Now, the poor cat was struggling to stay afloat without being smashed against the roof. With each passing moment, it seemed to get harder and harder. And then, with one final ragged breath, the cat was forced under.

There was no more air, only water; water above us, water below us, water all around. Darkness began to steal the creature, pulling it down into its comforting arms. Although I did not want to witness the creature's death, I did not want its suffering to continue. And so I allowed it to slip down, down into darkness, and relief without attempting to stop it.

Sorrow pierced me as I felt the creature fade, the darkness taking it once more. It had risked everything to aid me, simply because I had asked. It had given everything for a simple thought of hope.

And in that moment, I knew the answer to my question. I would rather have stayed in solitude if it could have saved this cat, this noble creature. It was not worth it. And this cat would pay the price.

_Sleep you well, my friend, _I whispered. And then I fell silent, and listened only to the water rushing around me.

The cat hit something broadside and it flipped over onto a ledge. Cold air washed over me, and a faint breeze ruffled the cat's soaked fur. We were above the water! The force of the current had pushed us out of one of the small holes in the roof of the tunnel. Even as we lay there, though, the water level continued to rise until water was lapping continuously beneath the cat.

_There is still hope!_ I cried out desperately, begging that it was not too late, meshing my thoughts with the cat's. _You can live. But you must awaken!_ Nothing. Only silence answered me. It had come too late. Salvation had come too late. I began to despair. But I would not give up. If there was one thing that I had learned in the years since my making, it was that living things were stubborn.

The cat stirred very minimally, as if twitching. With a thrill of hope, I pressed harder, with both thought and will. Again, the cat stirred. And blearily opened its eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** Plain and simple...Lord of the Rings nor anything in association with Tolkien or his writing is mine. I only lay claim to Nesiat. There was no profit made from the writing of this tale, unless pleasure is considered profit. But please do not sue me for that, for I have no money, and thus it would be pointless.

**A/N:** Wow...this is the end. I had it all written from the very beginning, and yet it still is a really amazing and good feeling to come to the end of posting it, and mark this as 'complete'. Oh, and there will eventually be a different cover for this. I couldn't find anything that I liked, so I will be uploading a sketch of my own (as soon as I can finish it). Thank you oh so very much to all of you who have alerted, favorited, and reviewed (it's called 'commenting' now? Weird...). A particular thanks goes to 'Guest', an anonymous reviewer. You'll get to see at least a little bit of Celebrimbor's reaction toward the end. A huge and very special thank you goes to both cai-ann and LadyNostarielofMirkwood who have reviewed every chapter (at least all three thus far), and for helping me and keeping me encouraged through this whole process.

I would absolutely love it if you would leave me a review, but more than anything, I hope you enjoy this final chapter!

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**Translations:**

Isil: Moon

Anor: Sun

Cathelle: small/little cat

Meleth nin: my love

Names: (I never knew what Celebrían's or Celebrimbor's names meant, so I decided to look them up, and I figured I'd share)

Nesiat: Fire heart

Elrond: Star dome

Celebrían: Silver crown-gift

Celebrimbor: Silver fist

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The cat mewed painfully, and struggled to rise. Its right foreleg gave out, and it crashed to the watery ground. Yet despite everything that had happened, its will to live was burning. It forced itself up onto three legs, and staggered forward.

The ground sloped upward gently, and water poured continuously down toward the tunnel beneath. Yet the water was neither very deep, nor was the current strong, and so the cat, who was limping along on three legs, was still able to climb the slight incline.

There was another opening at the mouth of the slope, approximately a foot in diameter, and rain trickled in. It was much less than before, I noted. It seemed as if the torrential downpour had slackened to a steady rain.

The cat clambered out of the hole and dragged itself onto the road. There it collapsed, is breath coming in ragged gasps. I could feel that each breath pained it, and a fresh wave of sorrow and regret washed through me.

The rain began to slow, until it was only a drizzle. The roar of water rushing through the sewers slowly faded away to a dull rush.

As Isil neared the western horizon, the cat picked itself up. The rain had all but ceased to fall, and now only dripped from the eaves of houses, and from the leaves and boughs of trees. Even so, water continued to run in streams through the gutters, before pouring down to the tunnels beneath. The cat stayed well away from such pathways and openings.

It must have been a pitiful sight to see. A single cat limped down the center of the street, splattered in mud and blood alike, its fur clinging to its body from the rain. Its tail dragged in a puddle every now and again, and the cat would jerk it upright, only for it to fall slowly down once more.

The black of night was fading to the gray of predawn, and a light mist was beginning to creep about the earth, when the cat turned away from the road. With an ungainly hop, it passed between the bars of a gate. Cobblestone turned to water gravel, and the scent of green, growing things rose up around me.

A building loomed up out of the fog, and I found that I recognized it. It was my Keeper's own home.

As the cat plopped down in front of the door, incredulity filled me. Despite what it had cost the poor creature, the cat had still managed to bring me to my Keeper, my One. Despite all the pain that it had suffered, all of the hardships, it had fought through until the very end, just so I could come home. I hadn't even been entirely sure that it understood what I had asked of it. And yet here we were.

_Thank you,_ was all that I could say. Words alone could not express my thoughts and feelings. Something, a song perhaps, rose within me. It was a song of gratitude, of wonder, respect, and of admiration. _And I do not even know your name, _I whispered sadly.

_They call me Nesiat._ The words were quiet, barely audible, and filled with pain. And yet I still heard them. She had spoken to me. The cat – Nesiat – had spoken.

_Thank you,_ I whispered again. _Thank you Nesiat._

I poured every ounce of love, hope, and comfort that I could into her frail, battered, and mangled body. It was not much, but it was all I had.

Anor lifted her head above the horizon, as if tentatively peering into the world. Music filled the morning air as a dove cooed, and then a finch joined in. A rabbit hopped tentatively out onto the grass from beneath a small cluster of bushes, its nose twitching and its ears flicking back and forth.

Nesiat meowed quietly, as if she were begging or pleading. I could feel her beginning to droop, the little strength that I had managed to convey to her failing.

I began to feel anxious, worry clawing into my excitement and joy at being home. If neither my Keeper nor his wife came soon, then I feared that it would be too late. _Hurry,_ I plead silently, although it was not for me that I begged. _Please, come quickly._

The door opened just a crack at first, as whoever was inside peered out. Then the door was thrown wide, and a tall, raven-haired elf knelt quickly.

Happiness exploded through me at the sight of my Keeper. He was so near! I could feel him, sense his thoughts. I began to reach out for him, to touch his thoughts and tell him of my presence. But then I felt Nesiat's pain as she sat there, waiting. She had not abandoned me. I must not leave her now either, not when she needed me, and the help my Keeper could bring, the most.

_Come to her,_ I sang. _Care for her, please_. I knew that he could not hear my words, and yet I hoped that he still _heard_; heard my meaning and my hope.

"Oh cathelle, what misadventure have you been through?" my Keeper breathed, and his voice was filled with sorrow that only seeing another living creature in pain could bring him. And yet there was kindness in his tone as well. Nesiat attempted to stand, perhaps to go to him, but she fell to the side and nearly collapsed as her legs bore her weight. My Keeper reached out a hand to steady her, but she hissed in defiance. Like any untamed animal, she was injured and afraid of any hand, even if it was one that could help her.

_Trust him,_ I whispered. _He is my Keeper, and my master. He will heal you._

"Please cathelle, let me help you. I will not harm you, nor keep you here any longer than you wish to stay." Nesiat looked at him with her eyes clouded with pain and fear. She mewed once, and fell heavily to her side, her legs giving out.

This time when my Keeper reached for her, she did not warn him away. He gathered her gently into his arms and lifted her, cradling her muddy head against his shoulder.

"Easy cathelle," he murmured soothingly. "All will be well soon." The door swung shut as we were carried down the corridor.

"What is it, meleth nin?" a female voice asked, and a silver blonde haired elf appeared in a doorway.

"There was an injured cat sitting on our doorstep," my Keeper replied, and turned to show Nesiat to his wife.

"Well then come quickly," Celebrían ordered, her tone turning brisk and professional. She led us into the brightly lit kitchen that had smooth wood floors, and a half a dozen cherry-wood cabinets. A large window stood facing the west, although the curtains were drawn, blocking out the weak morning sunlight. The fireplace set into the far wall provided plenty of light as well as heat as a fire crackled merrily among the logs. "I can take her while you gather what you need," she said, turning so she could take my Keeper's fragile burden.

My Keeper gingerly passed the injured feline into his wife's tender embrace, then hurried from the room to collect his healing supplies.

Celebrían sat on the floor, settling Nesiat in her lap. She then began to stroke the weak and trembling cat, her long fingers tenderly caressing about her ears, where there was no injury. After a few moments she began to hum a lullaby, and I felt Nesiat begin to relax and drift into a torpor.

After a few moments, my Keeper returned, his arms full of rolls of bandages of various strengths and sizes, pots of salve and bottles of liquid, small leather wrapped parcels, towels, and a pair of clippers. He spread one towel on the ground off to one side, and began to arrange the various items atop it.

"There is warm water in the pot over the fire," Celebrían informed her husband, ceasing to hum, and nodding in the direction of the fireplace. Her eyes followed his movements as he rose swiftly and crossed to a cupboard, pulling various pots and bowls from the shelves as if he were looking for a specific one. He finally seemed to find what he had been looking for, for he carried a large tub to the fire, and filled it with steaming water.

"You will not like this much, cathelle, but we must cleanse you," my Keeper informed Nesiat. She simply stared up at him, then at Celebrían, as if to say, _if you must…_

Celebrían lifted Nesiat from her lap and placed her in the steaming water, her hands on either of her sides, holding her upright. My Keeper began to sponge the grime from Nesiat's fur, and within moments, the water in the tub was a dark, sludge brown.

When she was as clean as they could get her, my Keeper laid her down on a fresh towel. Then began the long, arduous task of finding and tending her injuries. I joined my mind with my Keepers, so that I could see what he did, and so that he could use me and my focus to his full advantage, despite the fact that my power of healing had waned.

There were many wounds; long gashes bled sluggishly, matting her fur with gore even after she had been washed clean of the crimson liquid, and with each ragged breath that she took, two broken ribs ground together. One lung was bruised, she bled from her spleen, and her right foreleg was badly broken.

My Keeper did what he could for her, setting and splinting the broken leg, suturing the worst of the cuts, and giving her a mixture of herbs to both ease the pain and allow her to breathe easier, as well as help clot the blood. Nesiat remained almost perfectly still during the entire procedure, either lying on her side atop the towel, or wrapped warmly in Celebrían's arms.

After tending to her wounds, my Keeper picked up the clippers.

"What are those for?" his wife asked, still holding a lethargic Nesiat.

"Her fur needs to be clipped, for it is severely matted and extremely long. With short fur, she will run a lesser risk of her wounds getting infected."

"Let me," Celebrían offered, opening her hand to receive the shears.

"Thank you," my Keeper replied with a grateful smile, and willingly gave them to her before standing and gathering the soiled towels.

Celebrían began clip the long, trailing fur, allowing it to fall around her in a ginger pile. She was gentle, and accompanied each snip with a soothing word or a caress. Halfway through the process, to her surprise, the cat began to purr sleepily, her eyes sliding shut every now and again.

"Elrond?" Celebrían called down the hallway. "There is something you should see." She had been clipping the fur away from Nesiat's chest, when her fingers had brushed against me. Her brow drawing down into a slight frown, she had quickly snipped the mat of fur holding me against Nesiat's chest, and I had fallen into her hand. The fur pulled away easily, and within seconds, I was sitting calmly on her palm, glinting dully.

My Keeper appeared in the doorway a few seconds later, looking both puzzled and perhaps a little worried. And then his eyes alit on me. I do not think I have ever felt him as dumbfounded as he was that morning.

"Vilya?" he asked, his voice barely more than a breath, and hurried across the room to kneel beside Celebrían. He picked me up carefully, as if he were afraid that, should he touch me, I would vanish.

_I am here, _I murmured, and wrapped my consciousness about his.

_How…?_ He trailed off numbly.

_Nesiat helped me,_ I replied, and gave him a vague impression of the cat still purring in Celebrían's lap.

_But why?_ he asked.

_I could not leave you,_ I replied. _You are my Keeper, my One. How could I abandon you for another? _

_You do not belong to me,_ he replied.

_Yes, I do,_ I told him, harsher than I intended. _I am yours and you are mine. I have chosen you as my final Keeper, my master, and I will not suffer to be parted from you._

_Vilya…_he murmured. _I cannot keep you._ _Despite what you think and believe, elven custom dictates that you are still Celebrimbor's. Can you not understand that?_ I could hear and feel the anguish within him as he spoke those words. It tore at him with poison claws, causing his heart to bleed.

And finally, I knew what I had to do. I would not allow myself to cause him more pain, for it was me and my own actions that had caused this prolonged suffering. My refusal to accept this was forcing him to have to give me up more than once, and fight me as he did so.

_I understand,_ I whispered. _I…you must take me back then. But remember this, Elrond Peredhil, I am always yours._

"Elrond? Meleth nin?" Celebrían asked, looking at her husband worriedly. "Are you well?"

"I must go," Elrond said quietly. "I am sorry, Celebrían, for departing so suddenly. I will return shortly."

"You are taking Vilya back to Celebrimbor then?" she asked. Elrond nodded, and she smiled sadly. "Very well." She leaned in and kissed him tenderly. "I will see you when you return."

"Keep Nesiat calm and warm," Elrond instructed, running one hand along the ginger head. Celebrían did not ask him about the sudden name that he had given the cat, but merely nodded.

"I shall," she promised.

Elrond stood, his hand clenched tightly about me. "I shall return shortly," he repeated, and with that strode from the room.

The world was brightly lit by Anor's brilliant rays. The sky, unlike the day before, was peerless blue, with only a few feathery clouds scudding high overhead. In the distance, a swan rose into the air, its white feathers gleaming silver in the sunlight. The streets, while not thronging with people, were busy, with elves hurrying to and fro on their various errands. Elrond slipped among them, and began to make his way down the toward the Maker's house.

We were silent as we traveled, our thoughts and our feelings buried deep within our minds where they were sheltered from the other. I mourned, allowing my grief to swallow and dull me and my senses. I could not hear the songs of the elves, nor the lilting of the songbirds. I could not feel Anor's warmth.

Elrond knocked once upon Celebrimbor's door, and it opened almost immediately.

"Come in, Elrond," the Maker said, and ushered him inside.

"I am afraid that I have something that belongs to you," Elrond began, lifting his hand, in which he had continued to clutch me during the entire journey, so he could pass me to Celebrimbor.

"Wait a moment, Elrond," Celebrimbor said after taking me, halting Elrond as he turned to depart. When Elrond turned, Celebrimbor beckoned for the other to follow, and led him through the house to a small sitting room that opened out onto a low balcony.

_Why hello brother,_ Nenya laughed as we entered the room. _How good it is to see you again._

_We worried that you wouldn't make it,_ Narya added.

_It took you so long,_ Nenya quipped. _You left nearly a full day before either of us, and yet we still made it back sooner._

_I suppose it is simply the fact that he is our brother,_ Narya told Nenya smugly.

_What is happening? _I asked them sternly. I was unable to fathom why they sounded so pleased and…and happy.

_Listen,_ Narya ordered.

"It seems," Celebrimbor was saying, "that I was mistaken. Vilya, Narya, and Nenya no longer belong to me." For the first time since entering the sitting room, I sensed Galadriel and Mithrandir as well, Nenya and Narya's previous Keepers.

"Lady Galadriel, I give to you Nenya," Celebrimbor said, and stepped forward, slipping the adamant ring onto her finger. "Mithrandir, I give to you Narya." He held out the ring to the Istar, the ruby glittering in the sunlight that streamed in through the window. "And to you, Elrond Peredhil, I give you Vilya." He opened his hand, and held me out toward Elrond.

Elrond took me from my Maker's palm, and slid me onto his forefinger. Immediately, I felt as if I had awoken from a daze, the veil hanging about me tearing free. Our thoughts and our feelings melded and became one, our very essences becoming one.

A pure, unadulterated song rose within me, filling me, and his voice joined mine as we sang with unbridled joy. Vaguely, I could hear my sisters as well, and their voices harmonized with mine. The notes wove together, forming a haunting, yet exultant melody.

Slowly, the music died away, until only a faint echo of it remained. Celebrimbor was watching the six of us with a puzzling look. He then nodded, as if satisfied.

"I was correct, then," he muttered, as if to himself, and yet I heard it clearly. "They have chosen their final masters." He smiled then, and his eyes seemed to alight. "They are yours," he said. "Keep them, and care for them." I was not entirely sure if he was speaking to me and my sisters, or to our Keepers. With that, he showed us to the door, and we departed.

As we returned to Elrond's house, I felt as if the world had somehow come alive. The colors were more vibrant than any I had ever seen before, and I could smell the salty tang of the sea on the breeze. I could hear a song in everything, from the rocks, to the beasts, and even in the very heavens.

_Elrond,_ I said abruptly as I observed the world around me, and recognized where we were, _there is a hole in the sewer just to your left._ _It is a health hazard for small creatures such as cats. _

He crossed the street to inspect the gutter, and immediately spied the issue. A stone had been knocked sideways, likely by the force of running water. With a nudge of his foot, the stone slid back into place, although it would not take much to move it again.

_I shall see about having it fixed,_ Elrond assured me. _How did you know of it?_ he asked, as he turned back up the street.

_It began like this…_I said, and told him the tale of my, and Nesiat's, adventure. He was amazed by the events and the trials that we had suffered through, and a great deal of respect grew within him for the homeless, wandering cat that had aided me.

And as my tale continued, our thoughts melded, until he could see what I had seen, and could know what I had thought. We had become one, he and I, and we never to be separated again.

And as we spoke, I came to a realization. I would never be alone again.


End file.
